Lastlinje

Lastlinje is a term used in Danish and Norwegian typography to refer to the final line of a block of text, such as the last line of a paragraph or a stanza. In typesetting and editorial practice, the treatment of the last line affects readability and visual rhythm. Situations where the last line is isolated at a page break are related to the broader concerns of widows and orphans, though definitions vary by tradition: a line that appears alone at the top of a page can be called a widow, and a single line at the bottom may be considered an orphan. Editors seek to manage the last line by adjusting hyphenation, word choice, or the point of paragraph breaks, and by using typographic controls such as keeping a line together with the next paragraph or altering spacing to avoid awkward breaks.

In poetry and song lyrics, the last line of a stanza often carries emphasis or a concluding rhyme and may be treated as a distinct typographic unit within the layout. With the rise of digital typesetting, algorithms and layout engines provide rules to optimize last-line length and balance across pages, contributing to consistent rhythm and legibility. The concept remains part of Scandinavian editorial practice and is understood in broader typography as one aspect of line breaking and pagination.